Home invaders may have struck in Tarrant County

Dallas police are checking tips that a violent home invasion ring suspected in at least 70 offenses in recent months also targeted victims in Tarrant and Johnson counties.

But officials said they have not formally contacted other agencies about those tips. Victims were targeted in 20 cities in seven counties, including Collin, Denton, Ellis and Rockwall, Dallas police Detective Duane Boy said.

Four suspects were arrested June 16; two of them own Club X in Dallas, where they met some of the victims. Police are looking for three other men suspected in the spree of burglaries, home invasions and assaults.

Gang members studied their victims in advance and targeted people that they believed had money.

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Police said the suspects sometimes carried assault rifles and wore tactical team vests. They were equipped with plastic ties -- used to bind wrists -- and duct tape, and some victims told police their attackers tortured them. Police found a pair of pliers in one vest that they believe were used on a victim.

The case broke after investigators conducted surveillance of the suspects, and one man threatened to kill Denton County Sheriff Benny Parkey. At the news conference, Parkey said he did not know why the man threatened him, but said the man had past "run-ins" with Denton County authorities.